Quokka Facts | Quokkas | Australian Marsupials Quokka Setonix brachyurus The island of Rottnest near Perth, Australia is the primary home of the quokka, a type of marsupial. Quokkas have round, compact bodies that are 40-54 cm (16-21 in.) in length. They are covered with short, coarse brown-grey fur and have small rounded ears and a black nose. An early Dutch visitor to the island, Willem de Vlamingh, mistook the marsupials for large rats when he arrived in 1696. He named the island “Rattennest” (Dutch for “Rat’s Nest”), which was later adapted to Rottnest. Aside from Rottnest Island, small groups of quokkas also inhabit the mainland in Western Australia, as well as Bald Island, a small island to the southwest. Groups of quokkas live in territories, which are defended by dominant males. They often live in tall grass near water sources. Quokkas can also climb trees! Quokkas are herbivores who primarily feed at night, meaning they are mainly nocturnal.

They eat the leaves, stems, and bark of many plants in addition to grass. If necessary, they can survive for long periods of time without food or water by living off the fat stored in their tails. On the mainland, quokkas can breed all year round, but on Rottnest Island they only breed from January to August. After a month of gestation, the female gives birth to a baby called a joey. Females can give birth twice a year. The joey lives in its mother’s pouch for six months. Once it leaves the pouch, the joey relies on its mother for milk for two more months. At 1.5 years old, quokkas are old enough to have their own babies. In the wild, quokkas can live up to ten years. Conservation Status The IUCN Red List classifies the quokka as vulnerable due to declining populations and loss of habitat from logging and development. Threats include foxes, dogs, and cats on the mainland, which has limited their population. On Rottnest, there are no foxes, dogs, or cats, but human visitors have killed quokkas out of cruelty.

Quokkas are also at risk of developing muscular dystrophy, a disease in which muscles are damaged and weakened. What You Can Do to Help Quokkas are naturally trusting and curious animals and may approach visitors. If you visit an area with quokkas, do not touch them or feed them. Educate others to do the same. You can also help protect their habitat by supporting efforts to reduce logging in Western Australia. Quokka Distribution Quokkas primarily inhabit Rottnest Island, near Perth, Australia. They also live in small groups on Bald Island, and on the mainland in Western Australia.

Quokka Resources Quokka (Setonix Brachyurus) - Animals - A-Z Animals Five groups that classify all living things Animalia A group of animals within the animal kingdom Chordata A group of animals within a pylum Mammalia A group of animals within a class Diprotodontia A group of animals within an order Macropodidae A group of animals within a family Setonix Comprised of the genus followed by the species Setonix brachyurus Most widely used name for the species Quokka The domestic group such as cat or dog Mammal The specific area where the animal lives Dense vegetation close to water The colour of the animal's coat or markings Brown, Grey, Red The protective layer of the animal Fur How long (L) or tall (H) the animal is 40cm - 54cm (16in - 19in) The measurement of how heavy the animal is 1.5kg - 4.5kg (3.3lbs - 10lbs) The fastest recorded speed of the animal 32kph (20mph) What kind of foods the animal eats Herbivore The food that the animal gains energy from Grasses

, Leaves, Fruits Other animals that hunt and eat the animal Foxes, Cats, Dogs Whether the animal is solitary or sociable Nocturnal How long the animal lives for 5 - 10 years The average number of babies born at once 1 The likelihood of the animal becoming extinct Vulnerable Rounded body, ears and snout Fun Fact: Makes runways through the long grasses!

Quokka Location Quokka Quokka Classification and Evolution The Quokka is a small marsupial that is natively found in parts of the south-west of Australia and on only two islands off the south-west coast. The Quokka is one of the smallest Wallaby species in the world, and most distinctively differs from other Wallabies with their short and barely-furred tail and small hind legs. Out of the roughly 50 known Kangaroo and Wallaby (and other marsupial) species on the continent however, the Quokka is one of three whose ancestry is still fairly hazy today. The fact that the Quokka browses for food rather than simply grazing makes it quite different to other species , but despite all this, many agree that they are most closely related to the Rock Wallaby. Quokka Anatomy and Appearance The Quokka is a small species of Wallaby that has a rounded and compact body. Their hind legs and tail are much shorter in comparison to those of many Wallaby species , but allow the Quokka to hop through the thick vegetation and tall grasses with immense speed.

The dense fur of the Quokka is fairly coarse and usually brown or grey in colour , with reddish tinges around the face and neck, and generally lighter in colour on the underside. Along with it's rounded body, the Quokka also has small and rounded ears, and a rounded snout that is tipped with a black nose. Unlike other Wallaby species , the tail of the Quokka has hardly any fur on it at all and they also don't need it to balance whilst they are hopping along. Quokka Distribution and Habitat Historically, the Quokka had quite a wide distribution and was once found throughout the coastal regions of south-western Australia . Today however, the Quokka has been restricted to three remote regions, only one of which is actually on the Australian mainland. The most numerous populations of Quokka are found on Rottnest Island and on neighbouring Bald Island , with a few isolated groups also inhabiting the bushland that surrounds the city of Perth on the mainland. In these island environments , Quokka are most commonly found in thick forest, open woodland and areas of scrub that are close to fresh water.

Their preferred habitats are always close to water, and the Quokka can also be found along the edges of swamps. Quokka Behaviour and Lifestyle The Quokka is a very sociable and friendly animal that inhabits south-western Australia in small family groups , which are dominated by the males. Despite this though, the Quokka is not known to be territorial with up 150 individuals known to have over-lapping home ranges . Although they are known to share these habitats peacefully most of the time, fights between males are not unheard of, particularly on a hot day when they compete for the most sheltered spots. The Quokka is a nocturnal animal that spends most of the hot day, resting in the shade of the trees and will often return to the same spot every day. At night, the Quokka then begins to browse for food using tunnels through the long, grasses to move about unseen. Quokka Reproduction and Life Cycles The breeding season for the Quokka tends to occur in the cooler months between January and March, when a single joey is born after a gestation period of just a month.

Like all other marsupial babies, the joey manages to crawl into it's mother's pouch completely unaided, when it then attaches itself to one of the female's teats. The Quokka babies suckle from their mother in the pouch for around 6 months whilst they continue to develop. At this time, the joey emerges for the first time and begins to explore it's surroundings but remains close to the female, continuing to suckle on her milk for at least another couple of months. In captivity though, breeding can take place all year round once the individual is mature enough to mate at about a year old. Quokka Diet and Prey Like other Wallaby species , the Quokka is a vegetarian, meaning that it's herbivorous diet is solely comprised of the surrounding plant material. The Quokka most commonly feeds on different grasses that line that tunnels that they make through the dense vegetation. They are also known to eat leaves, and fruits and berries when they are available. Although the Quokka mainly browses for food on the ground, they are also known to climb about a meter or so up into the trees, and also swallow their food without chewing it.

The Quokka then regurgitates the undigested material in the form of a cud, which is also eaten. They have no need to drink vast amounts of water and are said to be able to go for months without drinking at all. Quokka Predators and Threats Before European colonists reached the coastal regions of south-west Australia , the Quokka populations were thriving and were widespread throughout the area. With people however, came domesticated predators like Cats , Foxes and Dogs and their settlements also attracted wilder animals including Birds of Prey and Dingoes. Since the introduction of these predators to the Quokka's habitat , their population numbers have dropped considerably. They are also now restricted to small pockets of their natural habitat on mainland Australia due to loss of habitat to growing Human settlements, as the demise of their daytime resting sites is thought to be linked to the declining population numbers. Quokka Interesting Facts and Features Quokka family units are most commonly found in areas close to one another, where there is a decent source of fresh water.

Even though they prefer these moist environments however, Quokka's are known to actually gather most of their moisture from the vegetation that they eat, meaning that they can also be found in regions that are actually quite far from the nearest river or stream. Despite the obvious differences between the Quokka and other Wallaby species , their small size has enabled them to become masters of the undergrowth. The Quokka creates tunnels that they use as runways through the dense vegetation, which they are then able to hop extremely fast along when threatened by a predator. Quokka Relationship with Humans Since the 1930s, the Quokka populations have been isolated in three remaining areas (two of which are on islands) because of the introduction of foreign predators . The Red Fox that came to Australia with European settlers has actually caused the most damage to this ground-dwelling marsupial, as they were eaten on both the mainland and on the islands that the Quokka inhabited along the south-west coast. Now however, the Quokka populations on Rottnest Island in particular, attract numerous tourists every year and although the Quokka are very friendly towards these people, foods like biscuits that are fed to them, often upset their stomachs.

Quokka Conservation Status and Life Today Today, the Quokka has been listed by the IUCN on their Red List as an animal that is Vulnerable in it's surrounding environment . The highest populations are today found on Rottnest Island , along with Bald Island , where they are thought to be happily sustained due to the lack of Red Foxes. There are however, now concerns over the Rottnest Island population due to increasing development on the island , mainly for recreational purposes. Share This Article Quokka Comments Kimmy "It is very many useful facts here! I needed a website about quokkas because im having a presentation in school about them. Thank you for giving me enough facts to make a good presentation" Audrey Bentley "I am doing and endangered animal presentation and this website has really helped!! I think I'm going to get a A!!! Thank you" Maddie "I am in year 10 and had to complete a project about the Quokka! All the information I wanted and needed was on this website. Thanks to you a got an A* on my project.

" Student That wants to get an A+ "I needed a good website for a school project and I found that this website has each question on the project and it answers all the questions!" Alannah Cameron "i am doing a presentation in class about Quokkas. I never thought there could be this much info! Thank you! I think i will get an A..." Showing 5 of 15 comments. Learn how you can use or cite the Quokka article in your website content, school work and other projects. First Published: 27th April 2011, Last Updated: 9th January 2017 [View Sources] Sources: 1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 2. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 3. David W. Macdonald, Oxford University Press (2010) The Encyclopedia Of Mammals [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 4.

Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 5. Quokka Facts (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 6. Quokka Information (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 7. Quokka Information Centre (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 8. Quokka Tourism (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 9. Quokkas (Date Unknown) Available at: [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 10. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] 11.

Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals [Accessed at: 27 Apr 2011] Are you Safe? Are You Safe? is an online safety campaign by A-Z-Animals.com. If something has upset you, the Are You Safe? campaign can help you to speak to someone who can help you. Meet The Quokka, The Happiest Animal In The World (PHOTOS) | The Huffington Post Meet The Quokka, The Happiest Animal In The World (PHOTOS) 01/07/2013 04:31 pm ET | Updated Aug 15, 2013 10k Ryan Grenoble Editor at The Huffington Post When it comes to cute animal pictures, there's no beating this cheeky creature, who may as well have wandered straight out of a feel-good kids' movie. Meet the Quokka , a marsupial that seems to have come straight from an animator at Disney, but is actually native to a small corner of southwestern Australia.

Unlike a frightening number of Australian animals , the Quokka poses no threat to humans, and -- as these pictures make abundantly clear -- can be quite friendly. That friendliness may partially explain why, according to the Perth Zoo, the once-plentiful Quokka was drastically reduced in number after the dingo and foxes found their way to Australia. The animal is currently listed as "vulnerable," according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Thanks to conservation efforts and fox control programs, their populations are recovering in some areas. PHOTOS of the Quokka, aka "the happiest animal in the world:" Quokka - Australian Museum Australian Museum The Quokka is one of the smallest wallabies. This marsupial has the ability to climb trees. Quokka Want FREE general admission all year round? Standard Common Name Quokka Identification The Quokka, Setonix brachyurus, was described by early Dutch explorer, Willem de Vlamingh, 'as a kind of rat as big as a common cat'. His first sighting of the Quokka was on an island off the mouth of the Swan River. He named the island Rottenest ('rat nest') in honour of this sighting.

The island is now known as Rottnest Island. Essentially the Quokka looks very much like other wallabies.It has short, very coarse and thick grey-brown fur over most of the body with lighter parts underneath. Its facial features consist of a naked nose on a short, broad face with rounded furry ears.The tail is relatively short and mostly devoid of hair. In contrast, the hair on the feet extends to cover its claws. Size range Body length: 40-54cm, tail: 25-31cm Distribution Restricted to the south west region of Western Australia, Quokkas are found on the mainland as well as on Rottnest Island (near Perth) and Bald Island (near Albany). Their presence on the mainland has declined severely in the twentieth century to the extent that they are only found in small groups in bushland surrounding Perth including Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Torndirrup National Park, Mt Manypeaks National Park and the Stirling Range National Park. Habitat Mainland populations tend to be clustered around dense streamside vegetation but can also be found in shrubland and heath areas, particularly around swamps.

Quokkas prefer a warm climate but are adapted to the seasonal variations on Rottnest Island. Here Quokkas occupy a wide range of semi-arid areas. This tendency points to the Quokka being a habitat specialist with a preference for areas that have been burned in the last ten years.They are however, present on Bald Island even though there has been a low frequency of fires there. Their success on Bald Island is probably due to their finding suitable food sources and the lack of predators. Feeding and Diet Quokkas are plant eaters or herbivores.In fact they can be described as browsing herbivores who favour various grasses and leaves, the most popular being plants from the Thomasia species. The seasonal variation on the availability of food sources is linked to the fresh growth associated with fires. Quokkas show a distinct preference for new young growth. On Rottnest Island their diet is primarily succulents and to a lesser extent the leaves of wattles. Other behaviours and adaptations Quokkas are most active at night feeding alone or in small bands.

However, they can survive for long periods without food or water.During the day they will shelter in areas of dense vegetation.Among the dense vegetation, Quokkas will create paths and trails for use as runways for feeding or escaping predators. Their movements resemble a bounding gait interspersed with hopping. They are able to climb trees to reach a food source. Quokkas are known to suffer from muscular dystrophy and have been employed in medical research in that area. Life cycle On the mainland, the Quokka appears to be able to breed all year round but the breeding season on Rottnest Island is shorter (from January to August). Female Quokkas give birth to a single young about a month after mating. The young will remain in the pouch for about six months. After the joey leaves the pouch it will continue to feed at its mother's teets for an extra two months or so. Joeys are usually weaned by eight months of age. Mating and reproduction Quokkas,on average, can live for about ten years. They are able to breed from about eighteen months of age. On the mainland, female Quokkas are able to produce about seventeen offspring over a lifetime, with two joeys being born each year.

However on Rottnest Island, with a shorter breeding season,Quokkas usually only give birth to one offspring per year. Conservation Status The Quokka is listed as vulnerable.They are most vulnerable on the mainland where their numbers have suffered with the arrival of the Dingo some 4,000 years ago and more recently the European Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes, in the 1930s. The populations found on Rottnest are less susceptible to decline as the island is fox free. Generally speaking, human impact has also had an effect on Quokka numbers. Clearing for agricultiral development, the spread of housing and logging have contributed to this as well as recreational activities such as camping, and control burns before the bushfire season. Some action has been taken to reduce Red Fox numbers and this has contributed to some population recovery. Classification 6 Things to Know About the Super Cute Quokka | Mental Floss 6 Things to Know About the Super Cute Quokka thinkstock Like us on Facebook We’ve all seen the photos that made the rounds last year: a furry little critter beams at the camera, at a leaf, at a tourist.

From this adorable gallery —which naturally went viral—we can discern two facts: 1) that the furry little critter is called a “quokka”; and 2) that this quokka, whatever that is, must be the world’s happiest animal. It even says so, right there in the photo gallery. But life is rarely so simple. It may be known for its sweetness, but the quokka has a salty side. What is a quokka, anyway? How do you pronounce its name? And are they really that happy-go-lucky? Read on for a reality check, and the sobering truth behind that smile. 1. Meet the Quokkas Quokkas are nocturnal marsupials. They’re some of the smallest members of the macropod (or “big foot”) family, which also includes kangaroos and wallabies. The quokka clan makes its home in swamps and scrublands, tunneling through the brush to create shelters and hideouts and emerging at night to find food. They’re the only land mammal on Rottnest Island, and have become something of a tourist attraction.

Quokkas were first described by Dutch sea captain Willem de Vlamingh, who reported finding “a kind of rat as big as a cat.” The squeamish seaman named the quokkas’ island Ratte nest (“rat’s nest”), then sailed away, presumably toward more genteel wildlife. As for pronunciation, dictionaries offer two options. North Americans usually pronounce it kwo-ka (rhymes with “mocha”), and everyone else says kwah-ka (rhymes with “wokka wokka”). It’s really up to you. Quokkas don’t care. 2. The Quokka Will Cut You The “world’s happiest animal” is not all sunshine and lollipops. You may not want to hear this, but it’s true. A quokka’s big feet are tipped with very sharp claws. Like much of Australia’s wildlife , the quokka will f*** you up if you give it the opportunity. Journalist Kenneth Cook learned the hard way when he tried to befriend a quokka along a dirt road. Cook noted the animal’s “small, mean mouth,” but decided it was probably too small to do much damage.

“It was a malicious-looking beast,” he wrote in his 1987 book Wombat Revenge, but he wasn’t afraid. He offered the little animal a piece of apple, which the quokka spat out, and a crumb of gorgonzola cheese. The quokka popped the gorgonzola into its mouth, chewed, and then, Cook says, “fell down in a dead faint.” Convinced he’d just poisoned the creature and determined to save it, Cook zipped the quokka’s body into his backpack, left a little room for air, swung the pack onto his back, and pedaled his bicycle frantically down the road to find help. After a few minutes of bumping along at breakneck speed, the quokka began to revive, and blearily climbed out of the backpack, claws first. Afraid to turn around in case he lost control of his bike, Cook sped onward. The quokka grabbed his neck and began shrieking in his ear. The bike kept going. The shrieking quokka sank its teeth into Cook’s earlobe and hung there, dead weight, like a large, furry earring.

Disoriented, the journalist steered his bike off a cliff into the ocean. Surfacing, he looked around and found the quokka standing on the shore, glaring at him and snarling. The story seems incredible, but Cook is far from the winsome creature’s only victim. Teddy-bear ears and doe eyes aside, these animals are ready, willing, and able to fend for themselves. Each year, the Rottnest Island infirmary treats dozens of patients—mostly children—for quokka bites . Among themselves, quokkas are primarily a peaceful bunch. Males don’t fight over choice females, food, or water, although they will occasionally scrap over a nice, shady napping spot. 3. The Quokka Is Using You Inquisitive, appealing, and fearless, quokkas have adapted to human presence in their environment in admirable fashion. Campsites and condos are all fair game for hungry quokkas, who have become notorious for raiding local homes in search of late-night snacks. Quokka settlements have sprung up around youth hostels and tourist sites—places, in other words, where the canny animals are assured of an easy meal.

Cognitive science researchers like Arizona State University’s Clive Wynne have turned the tables on the quokkas by setting up shop in these same sites, knowing the wild animals will play nice. On Rottnest Island, the inquisitive critters have made themselves something of a nuisance for business owners. “They wander down the streets and into cafes and restaurants,” Senior Constable Michael Wear told the Daily Telegraph. They’re not just after our food, though—we also make good entertainment. While tracking a female quokka named Imelda through the brush at night, Bangor University conservationist Matt Hayward realized he was being followed. “I heard footsteps approaching,” he told National Wildlife. Each time Hayward turned off his tracking equipment, the footsteps ceased. Just as his terror reached its peak, he said, “a little head poked out from behind a bush.” His stalker? Imelda. 4. The Quokka Is Kind of a Badass Think of the quokka as the panda’s polar opposite. Where the panda seems determined to erase its own species from the face of the Earth, the quokka is a gritty survivor, ready to do anything it takes to stick around.

For example: pandas spend between ten and sixteen hours each day foraging and eating. Why? Because bamboo—which makes up 99 percent of their diet—has almost no nutritional content. Quokkas, on the other hand, divide their time between eating leaves and grasses and snoozing in the shade. When water is scarce, quokkas chow down on water-storing succulents. When the good leaves are hard to reach, they climb trees. The quokka does not settle for useless food. Both pandas and quokkas are prone to offing their own offspring, but there’s a crucial difference: intention (or lack thereof, in the panda’s case). When pursued by a predator, a fleeing quokka mum will eject her baby from her pouch. Thusly launched, Baby Q flails about on the ground, making weird hissing noises and attracting the predator’s attention while Mama Quokka escapes to live another day. She can, and will, reproduce again. It’s a stone-cold strategy, but it works. Panda cubs, those rare and precious million-dollar babies, have been killed when their own mothers accidentally sat on them. 5. No, You Can’t Have One. Sorry.

Wild quokka populations are declining as invasive predators like foxes and cats move into quokka territory. They need to stay in the wild. You can’t have one. And don’t try to smuggle them, or snuggle them, either: Rottnest Island authorities will slap a $300 fine on anyone caught touching a quokka. Whether the fine is intended to protect the quokkas or their would-be human scratching posts is unclear. 6. So Why Is the Quokka Smiling? It’s fierce, fearless, and totes adorbs, but is it happy? Nobody knows. Clive Wynne’s cognitive experiments disproved the long-held assumption that quokkas were “really, really dumb”—an assumption, he said, he found even in scientific literature. The smiley little guys don’t “have any magical cognitive abilities,” he says, “but they’re not stupid. They have the skills they need—honed by evolution over millions of years—to thrive in their natural environment.” So why are they smiling? Consider Bitchy Resting Face , a condition suffered by several Hollywood A-listers. Consider the great white shark, with its face permanently stretched into a dopey grin .

The quokka’s Mona Lisa smile, says Clive Wynne, is “an accident of evolution.” He’s the expert, so we’ll take him at his word. But if we were tenacious, tiny furballs with anime-cute faces and vicious claws, we’d be smiling too. All images courtesy of Thinkstock. More from mental_floss... 1000+ images about Quokka, quokkas, joey, type of kangaroo on Pinterest | Happy, The doors and Quokka Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Quokka, quokkas, joey, type of kangaroo The quokka (Setonix brachyurus), the only member of the genus Setonix, is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. Like other marsupials in the macropod family (such as the kangaroos and wallabies), the quokka is herbivorous and mainly nocturnal. It can be found on some smaller islands off the coast of Western Australia, in particular on Rottnest Island just off Perth and Bald Island near Albany.

28 Pins789 Followers EndangeredSpeciesBiomesProjects - Quokka EndangeredSpeciesBiomesProjects The Quokka "The Happiest Animal in the World" The Quokka is a small marsupial that lives mostly along the coast of Western Australia in a tropical grassland biome. They usually live in small family groups. Their natural predators are mainly humans, who have been decreasing the population of Quokkas since Australia was first discovered. However, they are also hunted by birds of prey such as hawks and eagles. Sadly, the Quokka's numbers are continually decreasing, mostly because of human interaction. They are now considered vulnerable. Pictured Here: A Quokka in its natural grassland habitat. Accessed 18/02/13 at by Unknown Photographer on Unknown Date Physical Geography/Features Like all biomes, the grasslands are affected by abiotic factors of temperature, precipitation, ocean currents, latitude, and elevation. The temperature of the grasslands varies greatly from winter, where it can be as low as -40 degrees Celsius, and in the summer it get to around 25 degrees Celsius.

The annual precipitation ranges from about 25 cm - 150 cm, depending on the location. Grassland biomes are usually found in the middle of continents and mostly not affected very much by the ocean. Depending on whether the grassland is tropical or temperate, it might by very humid and moist, or very cold and dry. The elevation of most grasslands is about 150 meters above sea level. The location of the grasslands where Quokkas live is in Western Australia. The biome is influenced by the Indian Ocean as well as its latitude, which is relatively close to the equator. The area is mostly flat with only some spots of elevation. It is covered in different types of grasses and herbs with few trees. Much of the area is used for animal grazing. Pictured Here: A section of grassland in Western Australia. Accessed 14/03/2013 at by Unknown Photographer on 24/09/01 Ecosystems Grassland Food Chain Humans have been negatively affecting the grassland biome for many years. The biggest cause of disruption is the developing of grasslands for farming or urban development. This disrupts the entire food web.

The herbivores have less grass and plants to graze on, which makes their population slowly start to decline. As this population declines, so does the population of carnivores, who eat these herbivores. The secondary and tertiary consumers now have less food, and as a result, the entire food web of the grasslands is upset and declining. Farming also has more than one impact on the animals of the grasslands. If farmers allow their livestock to graze in open areas where wild, naturally occurring animals also graze, it is inevitable that competition will occur. This could lead to migration, which normally would not being happening, starvation of one of the animals, or depletion of the grass. If grasslands are converted into cropland, the available space for food is limited to the wild animals. The wild grassland animals are usually considered pests by the farmers, which can, again, lead to migration or starvation. Hunting is also a major problem for many grassland animals. Furs of cats, tusks of elephants and rhinoceroses, and the meat of many animals is in high demand, even though it is usually illegal.

The poaching of these wild animals can disrupt the food web because when one animal is killed off, the other animal populations could either increase or decrease drastically as a result. One foreign species that is negatively affecting the grasslands of North America is a type of grass called Medusahead. Its full name is Taeniatherum caput-medusae, and it is native to European countries along the Mediterranean Sea. Medusahead was first seen in Oregon in 1903. However, it is thought to have been in the United States since around the 1880's. It has been spreading across North America at an alarming rate of 12 percent per year. As it spreads, Medusahead out-competes the natural vegetation, reduces the value of land, and creates a fire hazard all at once. As of 2010, it is estimated that 2.5 million acres of land in the US have been overtaken by this so-called 'Devil Species'.

Although many control methods - such as plowing, disking, burning, chemical sprays, and grazing - have been put into effect, many ecologists think that the plant will continue to spread at an abnormal rate, making millions of acres of grazing land nearly worthless and disrupt the natural ecosystems of North America. Pictured Here: Medusahead in a section of Oregon grassland. Accessed 04/03/13 by Photographer Clint Shock on June 24, 2008 Adaptations of Organisms The Quokka has a light brownish coloured coat which helps it disguise itself from predators in long grass. It is relatively small for a marsupial, weighing about 2.5 to 5 kilograms, or 5.5 to 11 lb. It is about 40 to 90 centimetres, or 16 to 35 inches long. Quokkas have adapted to the hot dry weather by being able to go for long amounts of time without drinking water. They are also able to drink salt water, which is useful for when there is no available fresh water. Quokkas are nocturnal, and during the day they hide in dense vegetation along streams.

Among the thick vegetation, Quokkas will create paths and trails to use for getting food and escaping predators. They mainly feed on grass, shoots, and foliage of shrubs. They get around by bounding and hopping, like a kangaroo, and can also climb the tall trees in the area to reach a food source. Quokkas are generally friendly towards each other, but competition can occur. On hot summer days, the head male of small family groups will fight each other for possession of the best shady spot. Pictured Here: A young Quokka learning to hop. Accessed 07/03/13 at by Photgrapher Jeremy Piper on Unknown Date Grasses in the area have also adapted by having very deep roots that remain unharmed during fires throughout the dry season. Fires occur often during the dry season as a result of lightning striking the ground. After the fire subsides, the grass is still able to grow back because the roots were not damaged, being so deep in the ground. This is a structural adaptation. It is beneficial to the grass because it is able to regrow from the roots, instead of there being nothing but burnt, dead grass.

Small burrowing animals have also adapted to the raging fires of the grasslands. They are not fast enough to run away from the fire like larger animals; instead, they survive by digging down through the soil and staying there until the flames have passed by. This is a behavioral adaptation.This benefits the animal because instead of wasting its energy trying to flee, it can burrow like it is used to instead. Pictured Here: A natural fire blazing through tropical grasslands. Accessed 24/02/13 at by Unknown Photographer on Unknown Date Many people flock to Western Australian islands, such as Rottenest Island, that are inhabited by Quokkas while on vacation. Tourists love to see the 'world's happiest animal' and like to feed them food such as bread. Many people don't know that dry foods such as bread can actually be fatal to Quokkas. This is because the small animals have to store water up in their bodies during the dry months, and giving them dry foods can disrupt that process by absorbing the moisture in their digestive systems. This food may also contain potentially harmful parasites. An example of symbiosis with the Quokka is parasitism.

A large population of Quokkas contract Salmonella during the summer months as a result of not having good quality food to eat during the summer. They have to turn to food that disrupts their digestive system and therefore gives them Salmonella. Pictured Here: Salmonella attaching itself to an organism's stomach lining. Accessed 24/02/13 at Research Project Working Bibliography: Electronic Resources Article Title 04/03/13 28/05/12 Pictured Here: A Quokka taking interest in a tourist's camera. Accessed 08/03/13 by Unknown Photographer on Unknown Date Reflection/Blog Post A. 1) It is very important that the Quokka is saved. It plays a vital role in its ecosystem. If the Quokka were extinct, its entire habitat would be upset. The plants on the coastal island where they live could become overgrown, because Quokkas eat many of the plants and bushes. Also, the birds of prey that eat the Quokkas would also have less food to eat around Western Australia.

Being primary consumers, Quokkas could affect all trophic levels both abpve and beneath them, which could have a devastating effect on the coastal ecosystems. 2) The Quokka is endangered for a few reasons. When people first came to Australia, they thought the Quokkas were giant rats, and many were killed. Human interaction also affects the Quokkas numbers, because people feed them food that negatively affects their digestive systems. Human introduced species, such as domestic pets, have also affected their numbers. 3) To save the Quokka, many steps are already in place. Many family groups of Quokkas have been placed in reserves, where they are free from predators. I think that the law against human interaction with the Quokka should be more strictly enforced, becuase right now, the Quokka's main predator is people. Also, I think that all populations of Quokkas should be protected like some already are. B.

Learning Outcomes I have learned from this project: - Identify distinctive plants, animals, and climatic characteristics of Canadian biomes,- Describe the relationships between abiotic and biotic elements within an ecosystem.- Explain various relationships with food webs, food chains, and food pyramids.- Explain why ecosystems with similar characteristics can exist in different geological locations. C. Some other skills I have learned... 1) How to use Microsoft Paint and be a Paint Master. 2) How to create and edit a page on Wikispaces. 3) How to correctly write a bibliography.

Question: The quokka is what type of animal?
Answer: MARSUPIAL